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Crown of Gondor

The Crown of Gondor by the user Grond, designed to match Tolkien's illustration.

The Crown of Gondor, also called the winged crown[1], White Crown, Silver Crown and the crown of Elendil,[2] was the ceremonial headgear of the Kings of Gondor, and was used as a symbol of the Kingship.

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It is said that the original crown was a plain Númenórean war-helm.[3] However a later crown replaced it, described as a tall, jeweled and winged helm, not unlike the helms of the Guards of the Citadel, but taller and all white, with wings resembling those of a sea-bird wrought of pearl and silver. Seven gems of adamant were set in the circlet. On its summit was a jewel, the light of which went up like a flame to represent Anarion.[4]

The original crown of Gondor was said to be a plain Númenórean war-helm, the one worn by the Númenórean Kings in the Battle of Dagorlad; as Anárion's helm was crushed when he was killed, the war-helm of Isildur was used for the crowning of the Kings of Gondor.[3]

In the days of Atanatar II Alcarin this was replaced by a jewelled helm.[3]

On 1 MayT.A.3019[5] the rightful heir (Aragorn II Telcontar) came forward to receive the crown. The tradition had been for a new king to receive the crown from the hands of his father (or to obtain it from his father's tomb), but Faramir brought forth the casket with the ancient Crown and gave it to Aragorn. After chanting "Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta!" Aragorn surprised the crowd by returning the crown to Faramir. At his request, Frodo Baggins took the crown and bore it to Gandalf, who placed it on King Elessar's head with the blessing, "Now come the days of the King, and may they be blessed while the thrones of the Valar endure!"[4]

Tolkien described it in his letters as being similar to the crown of the Pharaohs of Egypt. He writes "I think the crown of Gondor (the S. Kingdom) was very tall, like that of Egypt, but with wings attached, not set straight back but at an angle."[8]

Notes

↑ The naming "crown of Elendil" in App. A is curious, considering the tradition that it consisted of Isildur's war-helm, later to be replaced by a newer one during Atanatar II's reign